Visual Arts Projects

Employed in an academic position in the Department of Mass Media, St Anthony's College, Shillong, I was assigned the responsibility of coordinating the Media Entrepreneurship & Marketing; and Advertising and Public Relations papers for undergraduate students. Under my guidance I developed these to constantly adhere to changes being made in these fields over the years. I felt the need for a hands-on-project for students, so that they could translate their learning in theory to practical application. I convinced the board of studies at the affiliate university to include a practical project component in them. My perseverance paid off and the compulsory undertaking of a project was included as part of the curriculum. I designed a number of entrepreneurial projects for the students, wherein they could put into practice handling an entrepreneurial venture of their own, but also use the lessons taught in marketing these to the right stakeholders. I designed these projects, dividing students into teams, teaching them how to conceptualise ideas, work as a team, while thinking independently, write proposals, approach funders, and media partners, develop marketing strategies, negotiate with authorities, engage with the community. Developing these transferable skills in them helped accentuate their portfolios for future endeavours. These projects ranged from organising local theatre productions- to developing newsletters and magazines, short film productions or large scale events dedicated to the visual arts and other cultural activities. The projects I selected to highlight in this page are a compilation of very short videos of two photography and arts events. The first was conceptualised in 2018, and taken up again by the same name (to maintain its branding) by the next batch of students in 2019. It was pre-pandemic and included in-person and online events.